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BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (AP) — Maya Jacob has been cooking for her family for at least four years. For a 10-year-old, that's a good chunk of time.
"I started to cook by asking my mom if I could stir," she said. "She would add stuff, and I would stir it."
The Summit Christian Academy fourth-grader uses a pink plastic step stool while she cooks to see over the stove and into stockpots or pans while her mom or dad instructs her on what to do next. Her parents also helped Maya compete in the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and win a seat at the White House's annual Kids' "State Dinner" on July 14.
The Tulsa World (http://bit.ly/29jYYbI ) reports that her recipe, Okie Pride Brown Rice with Chicken and Vegetables, was chosen as the winner for Oklahoma. The national contest included 1,200 entries submitted from the 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia.
Each of the winning students, ages 8 to 12, will travel to Washington, D.C., with a parent to dine at the White House, enjoying a meal featuring a selection of the winning recipes. The winners will also have a chance to meet first lady Michelle Obama and tour the White House Kitchen Garden. This is the fifth year for the competition, which is part of the first lady's "Let's Move!" initiative.
"I'm really excited. I'm not nervous at all," Maya said, beaming confidence. "I'll probably ask how to cook more healthy (food)."
Eating healthy has become important to Maya and her whole family as the eldest siblings — 14-year-old twins Donovan and Sebastian — have cerebral palsy with a seizure disorder. Through Maya's cooking endeavors, she learned that carbohydrates and sugars affect the health of the twins and their number of seizures.
As Maya cooked recently at home with her mom, her brother Donovan yelled and squealed with excitement. The kitchen filled with the aroma of garlic and ginger as it sauteed under Maya's watchful eye. It's common for Maya to help clean and cut the vegetables for the various dishes prepared at home, too, as she's learned a lot by watching her parents and grandparents cook.
Maya also did research for her recipe submission to find out what kind of ingredients are native to Oklahoma. Jane Jacob said that's how they came up with the name "Okie Pride" and incorporated ingredients such as pecans and black-eyed peas. The recipe also features Maya's Pakistani roots with spices such as turmeric, ginger and garlic.
"She's very competitive," her mom said, adding that Maya learned a lot about cooking with whole grains and fresh produce to help keep the family eating healthy. Jane Jacob said it was no surprise that her daughter's recipe was chosen as a winner.
"When I grow up, I want to be a cook in my house for my family and people who want to eat my food," Maya explained. "I love to do the decorating and making it look pretty."
Using a wooden spoon, Maya carefully transferred the finished dish to the plate set out next to the pan. Her small fingers gingerly sprinkle chopped cilantro and scallions over a mound of brown rice her mom inverted onto a square plate.
"This is a great encouragement and experience for her," Rapheal Jacob said about his only daughter. "Anything she is interested in — she tries and she goes for it."
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Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com
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